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Meter Glossary

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  • Absolute Pressure  -  The total pressure exerted by a fluid, including atmospheric pressure, relative to an absolute vacuum.  It is the measurement of pressure relative to absolute zero pressure.  Absolute pressure is used in various fields, including physics, engineering, and fluid dynamics, where an accurate and consistent reference point is required.
  • Acoustic Flowmeter  -  A type of device used to measure the flow rate of a fluid, typically a liquid or gas, by utilizing sound waves or acoustic signals. These flowmeters operate on the principle that the speed of sound in a fluid is influenced by the flow velocity of the fluid itself.  By measuring the time it takes for an acoustic signal to travel against and with the flow direction, an acoustic flowmeter can calculate the fluid's velocity and, consequently, its flow rate.
  • Ambient Temperature  -  The air temperature surrounding an object or piece of equipment.  When outdoors, the ambient temperature is the current surrounding environment air temperature.  This temperature has nothing to do with weather forcasts.

  • Analog  -  An electronic analog signal is a continuous electrical voltage or current waveform that varies smoothly and continuously over time.  In electronic systems, analog signals are used to represent real world quantities, such as sound, temperature, light, or other physical phenomena.  These signals are characterized by an infinite range of possible values within a given range.

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  • Cavitation  -  Is used in fluid dynamics where rapid changes in pressure within a liquid lead to the formation and collapse of vapor bubbles.  This process occurs when the pressure in a liquid drops below its vapor pressure, causing the formation of small vapor-filled cavities or bubbles.  When these bubbles move to regions of higher pressure, they collapse, creating shock waves and intense localized forces.
  • Coriolis Flow Meter  -  An advanced flow measurement device designed to directly measure the mass flow rate of a fluid, whether it be a liquid, gas, or slurry.  Its operation relies on the Coriolis effect, where the meter's internal tubes are vibrated at their natural frequency.  As fluid flows through these vibrating tubes, the inertial forces cause a subtle twisting motion, resulting in a measurable phase shift in the tube's vibration. 

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  • Density  -  The ratio of the amount of matter in an object compared to its volume.  Density is a scalar quantity having magnitude and is independent of any specific direction.
  • Differential Pressure Flowmeter  -  A type of flow measurement device used to measure the flow rate of fluids in a pipeline or process system.  It operates based on the principle of Bernoulli's equation, which relates the pressure drop across a constriction in a pipe to the fluid flow rate.  DP flowmeters are commonly used in various industrial applications for monitoring and controlling fluid flow.

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  • Flow Meter Standards  -
  • Flow Rate  -  The amount of fluid or gas that flows through a given point in a system per unit of time.  The flow rate of a fluid or gas can be affected by a variety of factors, including the pressure differential, the viscosity and density of the fluid, and the size and shape of the pipe or duct through which it is flowing.
  • Flow Tube  -  Used in flow measurement systems.  It's necessary to accurately measure the flow of liquids or gases for various purposes such as process control, monitoring, and research.  The flow tube measures the pressure difference between the large and small tapped straight sections.
  • Flowmeter  -  A device used to measure the rate of flow (or quantity) of a fluid, such as a gas or liquid, as it passes through a specific point in a pipeline or system.  Flowmeters are essential tools in various industries and applications where precise measurement and control of fluid flow are critical. They provide valuable information for process monitoring, optimization, and quality control.

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  • Ideal Gas Law  -  Used to predict pressure, temperature, and volume changes in ideal gasses.  An ideal gas is defined as one in which all collisions between atoms or molecules are perfectly elastic and in which there are no intermolecular attractive forces.  In the real world, the ideal gas law must be corrected but it can serve as a good approximation for initial calculations.  The ideal gas law states that for a given amount of gas, the product of its pressure and volume is directly proportional to the number of moles of the gas and the absolute temperature.

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  • Laminar Flow -  Generally happens when dealing with low Reynolds numbers in pipes.  Laminar flow is a type of fluid flow in which the fluid moves in parallel layers, with no or minimal mixing between the layers.  In laminar flow, the fluid particles move smoothly and steadily along fixed paths, without any turbulence or eddies.  Laminar flow occurs when the fluid moves slowly and the viscosity of the fluid is high enough to prevent turbulence from developing.
  • Lease Automatic Custody Transfer  -  A system used in the oil and gas industry to accurately measure and transfer the ownership of crude oil or other petroleum products from one party to another.  LACT systems are commonly employed at well sites, production facilities, and pipeline terminals where oil is being transferred from the producer (often referred to as the lessor) to a purchaser or transporter (often referred to as the lessee).

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  • Magnetic Flow Meter  -  A device used to measure the flow rate of conductive liquids in a pipe, such as water, acids, or slurries.  It operates based on Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction, which states that a conductor moving through a magnetic field generates a voltage proportional to its velocity.  In a magnetic flow meter, a magnetic field is created across the pipe by coils positioned outside the pipe wall.
  • Mass Flow Rate  -  The average velocity of a mass that passes by a point.  In engineering, mass flow rate is often used, along with the conservation of mass to determine how much product moves through a pipe or duct.
  • Meter  -  A device used to measure the rate of flow or quantity of a fluid (liquid or gas) that passes through a particular point in a system.  Flow meters are essential in various industries and applications where monitoring and controlling the flow of fluids are critical.  They provide valuable information about the flow rate, helping in processes such as regulation, optimization, and billing.  There are several types of flow meters, each employing different principles for measurement.

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  • Net Oil Computer  -  A specialized device used in the oil and gas industry to measure the net oil volume produced from a well or a group of wells.  It is an essential tool for production optimization, revenue allocation, and regulatory compliance.

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  • Orifice Flange  -  Is used for metering the volumetric flow rate of liquids and gasses through a pipe.  Two orifice flanges are called an orifice flange union.  Each flange comes with two pipe taps for measuring the pressure drop of the flow through an orifice plate.
  • Orifice Metering  -  Used for measuring the flow rate of fluids, including liquids, gases, and steam, within pipelines. This technique operates on the principle of differential pressure measurement, which is fundamentally derived from Bernoulli's principle.  At the heart of an orifice meter is the orifice plate, a thin disc with a precisely engineered hole in its center, which is installed perpendicularly into the flow path of a pipe.
  • Orifice Plate  -  Measures the flow of a liquid or gas by the difference in pressure from the upstream to the downstream.  This plate creates a restriction in a pipe that causes a difference in pressure between the two sides.  A meter then measures the difference in pressure across the orifice plate.  The plates should be installed in a straight run of pipe in order to avoid turbulance at the plate.

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  • Pressure  -  Pressure is a measure of the force exerted per unit area on a surface.  It is defined as the force per unit area perpendicular to the surface over which the force is distributed.
  • Pressure Drop  -  The difference in pressure between two points, usually caused by friction resistance in the pipe, but moisture can also affect it.  It is a common phenomenon in fluid flow systems and can have various causes and implications.  Pressure drop typically occurs due to these main factors, frictional loss and localized loss.

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  • Slug Flow  -  A two-phase flow pattern that occurs in pipelines and channels when both a liquid and a gas phase are present and move together.  It is characterized by the intermittent movement of large, elongated slugs of liquid within a continuous gas phase.  In slug flow, the liquid slugs are separated by pockets of gas, and the flow alternates between these two phases.
  • Straightening Vane  -   Used in pipelines to promote a more uniform and streamlined flow of liquid to straighten the gas flow before going into a gas meter to ensure accurate measurement.  Its purpose is to reduce turbulence and irregular flow patterns within the pipeline, enhancing the efficiency of fluid transportation.

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  • Temperature  -  Normally described as the amount of heat or cold, but it is neither heat or cold.  Temperature is expressed as a number that is related to energy and porportional to a type of energy, but it is not energy.  Temperature is a number related to the average kineric energy, but is not kinetic energy.
  • Thermal Flow Meter  -  An instrument used to measure the flow rate of gases or liquids by detecting the heat transfer or thermal properties of the flowing medium.  It operates on the principle that a moving fluid carries heat away from a heated sensor, and the rate of heat loss is directly related to the fluid's flow rate.  Typically, a thermal flow meter consists of two temperature sensors: one heated and one unheated.
  • Turbulence Flow  -  Any deviation from parallel flow in a pipe due to rough inner walls obstructions or direction changes.  It is the chaotic and irregular motion of a fluid (liquid or gas) characterized by rapid fluctuations in velocity, pressure, and other flow properties.  It's a phenomenon that occurs when a fluid flows in a manner that is unpredictable, often resulting in swirling eddies, vortices, and rapid changes in flow direction and speed.
  • Turbine Flow Meter -  A type of flow measurement device that operates by utilizing a rotating turbine or rotor to measure the velocity of a fluid or gas flowing through a pipe.  The meter consists of a freely spinning turbine blade assembly mounted within a housing, positioned in the path of the fluid stream.  As the fluid or gas flows through the meter, it imparts force on the turbine blades, causing them to rotate at a speed proportional to the flow rate.  The rotation of the turbine is detected by a sensor, typically magnetic or optical, which generates an electrical signal corresponding to the rotational speed.

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  • Ultrasonic Flow Meter  -  A non-intrusive device used to measure the flow rate of liquids or gases in a pipe by utilizing ultrasonic sound waves.  It operates on the principle of sending ultrasonic pulses through the fluid and measuring the time it takes for the waves to travel between transducers, either in the direction of the flow or against it.  The difference in transit time, known as the time-of-flight method, or the Doppler shift in the frequency of the reflected waves, is used to calculate the velocity of the fluid, which is then converted into a flow rate.

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  • Venturi Efect  -  The reduction in fluid pressure that occurs when a fluid (like air or water) flows through a constricted section of a pipe or tube.  As the fluid speeds up in the narrower section, its pressure decreases, in accordance with Bernoulli’s principle, which states that an increase in the speed of a fluid corresponds to a decrease in its pressure.
  • Venturi Flow Meter  -  A device used to measure the flow rate of a fluid (liquid or gas) in a pipeline.  It operates on the principle of Bernoulli's equation, which relates the velocity of fluid flow to changes in pressure.  Venturi meters are commonly used in various industries, including petroleum, water treatment, industrial processes, and HVAC systems, to measure and control fluid flow rates.  They are known for their accuracy and reliability in measuring flow.
  • Venturi Tube Flow Meter  -  A device used to measure the flow rate of a fluid, typically a liquid, in a pipeline.  It operates on the principle of the Venturi effect, which is a reduction in fluid pressure when it flows through a constricted section of a pipe.  This pressure drop is related to the flow rate of the fluid and can be used to calculate the flow rate.
  • Viscosity  -  The measure of the internal friction/resistance to the flow of a liquid.  Lower viscosity fluids flow easily in pipes where high viscosity fluids have a higher pressure drop.  Viscosity of fluids is typically temperature dependent and is not affected as dramatically by pressure as gas viscosity.  In fact, typically as a liquid temperature increases, the velocity decreases.  When a gas temperature increases, the viscosity increases.
  • Volume  -  A measure of the amount of space occupied by a three-dimensional object.  Volume is a extensive variable whose values depend on the quantity of substance under study.  It is expressed in terms of length cubed, a quantity of three dimensional space occupied by gas, liquid, or solid.  Volume is a scalar quantity having direction, some of these include area, density, energy, entropy, length, mass, power, pressure, speed, temperature, and work.
  • Volumetric Flow Rate  -  A measure of the volume of fluid that passes through a given area cross-section per unit of time.  It quantifies the amount of fluid flowing in a system or through a specific point.
  • Vortex Shedding  -  A fluid dynamics phenomenon where a fluid (like air or water) flows past a bluff body, creating alternating vortices in its wake.  A bluff body (sometimes called a blunt body) is an object placed in a fluid flow where a significant portion of its surface experiences separated flow.  This means that the fluid stream cannot follow the entire contour of the body and detaches, forming a broad, disturbed wake behind it.

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  • Water Hammer  -  A surge pressure or fluid hammer, is a phenomenon that occurs in fluid dynamics when there is a sudden change in the flow of a liquid, such as water, in a closed piping system.  It is characterized by a sharp, banging or hammering noise and can result in significant pressure fluctuations within the system.

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